Real Madrid 4 - Numancia 3

Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Pepe, Metzelder, Marcelo; Diarrá, Guti; Van der Vaart (De la Red 68'), Higuaín (Drenthe 83'), Robben; Van Nistelrooy (Raúl 68'). 4-2-3-1.
Numancia: Juan Pablo; Juanra, Boris, Palacios, Domingo Cisma; Barkero (Alvaro Antón 65'), Nagore; Mario Martínez (Del Pino 59'), Juan Carlos Moreno, Bellvis (Quero 79'); Gorka Brit. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Madrid: Michel Salgado, Metzelder, Van der Vaart for Sergio Ramos, Heinze, Raúl / Numancia: No change.

Goals:
0-1. 06. Moreno. Guided header back down past Casillas from Barkero corner.
1-1. 18. Guti. Shot from outside of area which deflected off foot of defender.
1-2. 21. Barkero. Struck shot from outside of area into far top corner of net.
2-2. 25. Higuaín. Controlled Van Nistelrooy pass and shot in off post.
3-2. 33. Van der Vaart. Picked up loose ball and struck angled shot past keeper.
4-2. 39. Cisma (own goal). Headed in to own net trying to clear cross.
4-3. 56. Moreno. Curled free kick over defensive wall through hands of Casillas.

Real Madrid recorded their first win of the season, although they had a couple of scares before beating Numancia 4-3. The Soria based side were fresh from their victory over Barcelona, and they went ahead when Juan Carlos Moreno ran in unmarked to head Barkero's corner down past Casillas. And the Madrid keeper had to save another effort from Moreno before Guti made it all square with Madrid's 5,000th league goal, his shot taking a deflection off defender Sergio Boris.

Barkero restored the lead just three minutes later though, finding space to fire a spectacular shot into the far top corner of the net. But again the locals equalised, Higuaín ending off a quick passing move, steering a shot past Juan Pablo and in off the post. The goals kept on coming, Van der Vaart celebrating his league debut with another impressive strike from wide on the left after a good run by Van Nistelrooy, and Madrid opened up a two goal lead when Domingo Cisma headed in to his own net after Pepe had headed on Guti's corner.

Things quietened down after the break, although Robben and Moreno went close at either end early on. The visitors still weren't beaten though, and Moreno closed the gap to one goal with a well struck free kick which Casillas was unable to prevent from entering the net. Juan Pablo produced some memorable saves from Van Nistelrooy, Higuaín, De la Red and Raúl after that, and Numancia almost saved a point when Del Pino just failed to reach a Palacios cross in the last minute. The home fans were happy to hear the final whistle moments later.